Inking mechanism for rotary lithographic presses



E. BASSIST March 11, 1952 INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY LITHOGRAPHICPRESSES Filed Feb. 15, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 A W. .W

March 11, 1952 E. BASSIST 2,588,470

INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIC PRESSES Filed Feb. 15, 1947 2Sl-iEE'IfSSl-IEET 2 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARYLITHOGRAPHIC PRES SES Ellis liassist, Brookline, Mass., assignor,'bymesne assignments, to A. B. Dick Company, Niles, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application February 15, 1947, Serial No. 728,863

9 Claims. 1

The invention is primarily applicable to a machine adapted for printingfrom a lithographic plate by utilization of the offset principle, andthe invention relates more particularly to the inking mechanism andimmediately associated parts of such a machine. An inking mechanismembodying the invention is particularly adapted for use as a part of amachine of the character set forth which is simple and compact and whichdoes 'not require the services of a highly skilled operator, being thusadapted for use in business ofiices and the like.

While not necessarily so limited, a machine with an inking mechanism andassociated parts embodying the invention is particularly useful with alithographic plate comprising a sheet of paper properly prepared to bereceptive to an image formed by the application thereto of ink or othermaterial of a greasy character. This image may be applied directly tothe plate, for instance, by printing, or by typewriting, or by a crayon.The image may also be applied to the plate by treating the paperconstituting the plate so that it is light sensitive and creating aphotographic image thereon by photographic methods, and then applying agreasy material to the plate which adheres to the photographic imagethereon, but which can be wiped off from the other parts of the plate.

During the printing process the lithographic sheet or plate ismaintained in a moist condition and greasy ink is applied theretowhich'adheres to the greasy portions constituting the image to beprinted but is repelled by the other portions of the plate which aremoistened. Then the ink is transferred from the lithographic plate to anoffset printing blanket which in turn applies the ink to the paper orother material to be printed. It will be seen that so long as the plateis kept properly moistened the greasy ink adheres to the greasy imagebut not to the other portions of the plate, and it is thereforeimportant'that the moistening be properly controlled, so that on the onehand it will not be excessive and so that on the other hand it will notbe so deficient as to permit the ink to adhere to portions of the plateother than the image thereon. It is furthermore important that the inkbe applied evenly and at the proper rate, as a deficiency in ink wouldresult in poor printing and as an excess of ink would tend to cause itto adhere to portions of the plate other than the image, notwithstandingthe moistening thereof.

.One object of the invention is to provide in combination with otherparts of a printing machine, a suitable inking mechanism for applyingink to the plate uniformly and at a proper rate so as to insure goodprinting and to avoid any excess which might tend to accumulate on theplate notwithstanding the moistening thereof.

Notwithstanding the provision of a suitable moistening mechanism andnotwithstanding care in the maintenance and adjustment thereof, it maysometimes happen that too much moisture is supplied to the plate. Whenthis occurs the excess moisture forms an emulsion with the ink on thefinal ink applying roller, and this results in faint or grey printing. Afurther object of the invention is to provide means constituting a partof the inking mechanism and serving to eliminate any emulsion that maytend to form, thus assuring good printing at all times. Other objects ofthe invention will be apparent from the following specification andclaims and from the attached drawings.

0n the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a printing machineincorporating the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through thecentral portion of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the moistening rollers,this view showing the roller at an intermediate step during the assemblythereof.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the completed roller.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the parts of one of the moistening rollersprior to assembly.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed perspective view showing the left endof the moistening rollers and "the mechanism for holding and supportingthem, this mechanism being in a different position from that shown inFig. 1.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal view, omitting themoistening device and taken partly in section along the line Tl of Fig.2.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the parts associated with one of theinking rollers shown in Fig. "I.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged diagrammatic transverse sectional view through oneof the auxiliary printing rollers.

Referring to the drawings, the main frame of the machine comprises twoside plates H and i2 which are suitably connected by various means,including tie rods l3, l3. Extending transversely between the sideplates is a shaft Hi carrying a cylinder l5 which'ean be rotated in theclockwise direction by means of a gear is on the shat-t I l,

which meshes with a suitable driving gear, not shown. The cylinder l hasa transverse recess at I! in which are devices [8 for engaging suitableretaining clamps on the ends of a lithographic paper plate which iswrapped around the cylinder [5. These devices I8 permit the plate to bereadily attached or detached and hold it firmly during the printingoperation.

Also extending transversely between the plates II and I2 is a shaft 19carrying a cylinder lS on which is a rubber offset printing blanket 2G.The cylinder I9 is so positionedth'at the'blanket 20 engages the plateon the cylinder IS, the two cylinders being rotated in unison but inopposite directions. Underneath the cylinder l9 is a pressure roller 2I, and by means of a suitable feed mechanism, not shown, sheets of paperto be printed are introduced successively between thecylinder [9 and theroller 2 I, the sheets of paper after passing between the said cylinderand rollerbeing deposited in the paper receptacle 22 which is adjustableto accommodate sheets of various sizes.

As already stated, it is necessary in order to attain proper printingthat the plate on the cylinder I5 be continuously moistened to anaccurately predetermined extent. To this end a suitable moisteningmechanism is provided which will now be described in detail. It will beunderstood, however, that the moistening mechanism does not of itselfconstitute any part of the present invention.

The moistening mechanism, as shown, comprises two moistening rollers 23and 24 parallel with the plate cylinder l5 and extending the entirelength thereof. These rollers are formed, at least in part, of a poroussponge-like material such as cellulose sponge and they are adapted toretain a substantial amount of water. The rollers are rotated as theresult of their engagement with the plate on the cylinder 15, and theyserve by reason of their moist condition to maintain the plate in amoist condition.

The moisture in the rollers 23 and 24 is replenished and maintained bymeans of a moistening pad 25 which isadapted to engage both of therollers throughout their entire lengths. The upper portion of the pad 25is enclosed in a housing 26 which serves to support the pad. Positionedabove and carried by the housing 26 is a reservoir 21 for water,preferably slightly acidulated, to be supplied to the pad and from thepad to the moistening rollers and finally to the plate. The reservoir 21is connected with the housing 26 by means of a plurality of ducts 28,28. Each duct has a screw 29 extending into it and controlled by a knob30, this screw serving as a valve to regulate the flow of water throughthe duct. When the screw is at its inward limit of movement, the duct isentirely closed and by backing the screw outward the rate of flowthrough the duct can be regulated as required. Each duct has a window at3| which enables the operator to observe the rate of flow through eachduct. The reservoir 2'! has a filling opening normally closed by athreaded plug 32 and preferably has a window 33 through which theoperator can observe the level of water in the reservoir.

The housing 26 is carried by a U-shaped yoke which is pivoted at 35, 35to upstanding brackets on the side plates II and I2. The yoke 34 withthe housing 26 and with all of the parts carried thereby can be swungupward about the axis of the pivots 35, 35 to separate the pad 25 fromthe rollers 23 and 24. The parts can be swung upward manually, as forinstance when it is desired to obtain access to the rollers, and theparts can then be held in their elevated position by means of a pivotedstrut 36, the lower end of which is adapted to engage a suitable stop 37on the frame member I2.

Threaded into a suitable lug (not shown) on the y0ke34 is an adjustingscrew 38, the lower end of which engages a plate on the top of the framemember II. This screw limits downward movement of the yoke 34 and of thehousing 26 and thus serves to regulate the pressure between themoistening pad 25 and the moistening rollers 23 and 24.

Under some conditions of operation it is preferable for the pad 25 toengage the rollers 23 and 24 intermittently instead of continuously. Tothis end there is provided a cam 39 carried by a shaft 40 which isoscillated through a small are by a mechanism (not shown) in theinterior of the machine. A roller 4| carried by the yoke 34 engages thecam 39, and this roller serves to raise and lower the yoke 34 and thehousing 26 in accordance with the oscillation of the cam 39. Preferably,the roller 4| is adjustable with respect to the yoke 34, and as shown,it is connected with the yoke by means of a pivoted link 42 which isengaged by an adjustable screw 43 threaded in a bracket projectinglaterally from the corresponding side arm of the yoke 34. By adjustingthe screw 43 it is possible to vary the period of time during which theparts are elevated at each oscillation of the cam 39. Fig. 1 shows thecam 39 in its right hand position with the various parts elevated andwith the pad 25 separated from the rollers 23 and 24. When the cam movestoward the left the parts will be lowered to bring the pad 25 intoengagement with the rollers 23 and 24, the degree of pressure beingdetermined, as already explained, by means of the screw 38. By adjustingthe screw 43 downward, the extent of eleva: tion of the parts can beincreased, thus decreasing the period of time during which the pad is inengagement with the rollers at each oscillation of the cam.

Each of the rollers 23 and 24 is provided with an arbor 44 whichprojects at each end of the roller proper and is entered in notches atthe tops of the plates II and I2. Each arbor has an annular groove nearits end, and a latch plate 45 is provided with a key hole slot therein.The key hole slot is adapted to receive the end of the arbor 44, theupper narrower end of the slot receiving the grooved portion of thearbor. A spring pulls the latch plate downward and thus holds the arborin place. When it is desired to remove a roller, the latch plates 45 atthe ends thereof are lifted manually and moved endwise from engagementwith the arbor, and then the roller is free to be manually removed.

It is sometimes desirable to move the rollers '23 and 24 out ofengagement with the plate on the cylinder I5 without however entirelyremoving them from the machine. To this end there are provided twopivoted cam members 46. One of these said cams is shown in Fig. 1 but itwill be understood that there is another similar one on the oppositeside of the machine. These cam members are normally in an inoperativeposition as shown in Fig. 1. Associated with each of the cam members aresmall levers 41, 41, which are pivoted at 48 and which are positionedwith their end portions underneath the respective arbors 44, 44 as shownmore clearly in Fig. 6. When the cam members 46 are moved from theposition shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 6, upwardprojections 46 thereon engage the levers 41, 41 to swing them upward,the said levers engaging the arbors 44, 64 and elevating the rollers.

As already stated, each of the rollers .23 and 5 24 is formed at leastin part of a sponge-like porous material such as cellulose sponge. Ifthe roller were formed entirely of the cellulose sponge it would besofter than is desirable and in order to make it more firm it preferablycomprises a1- m ternating sections of the cellulose sponge and of afirmer and harder material such as felt. Referring particularly to Fig.5, which shows the parts prior to assembly, the alternating smaller feltsections are shown at 48 48 and the alter- HS nating larger cellulosesponge sections are shown at 49, 46. There is a metallic retainingWasher 56 and a nut 5| adapted to engage a threaded portion of the arbor44. After a preliminary compressing step, the several alternatingsections so 48 48 and 49, 49 are placed on the arbor and are graduallycompressed by means of the nut 5|. Fig. 3 shows the compression of theseveral sections at an intermediate stage. When the several sectionshave been fully compressed by the nut 5| the entire roller is thoroughlymoistened and this moistening causes the sponge sections to expand sothat they come into contact with each other and entirely enclose thesmaller felt sections, as shown in Fig. 4. Then the enso tire roller isground to provide a uniform cylindrical surface. It will thus be seenthat the outer face of the roller consists entirely of the spongematerial and that the felt sections serve merely to support the spongematerial.

For applying ink to the plate on the cylinder l5 there is provided aroller 52 which will be designated as the ink applying roller. Thisroller is parallel with the plate cylinder I5 and extends the entirelength thereof. The roller 52 is mountto ed on an arbor 53 and has abushing which carries a gear 54 meshing with the aforesaid gear 16 onthe shaft I4 carrying the plate roller. Thus the ink applying roller 52is rotated with the plate cylinder but in the opposite direction. Theroller 52 may be formed of a porous material such as felt or it may beformed of a nonporous roller composition of the type commonly used forprinting rollers. It is shown as being formed of aroller composition andthis has an important so advantage as-will presently appear. Forsupplying ink to the roller 52, there are provided other rollers whichare preferably formed of porous material such as felt and which areadapted to carry or contain suitable quantities of ink so as 55 toconstitute ink reservoirs. As shown, there are two rollers 55 and 56parallel with the roller 52 and engaging it throughout its entirelength. These rollers are respectively mounted on arbors 51 and 58.There is also shown a third ink resco ervoir roller 59, preferably alsoformed of a porous material such as felt and adapted to also carry orcontain a suitable quantity of ink. The roller 59 engages both of therollers 55 and 56, and is mounted on an arbor 66. The last said roller59 is preferably positively rotated by power and to this end its bushingor sleeve is provided with a gear 6| which meshes with a pinion 62loosely mounted on a bushing on the roller 56 which is mounted on thearbor 58, this pinion 62' meshing with the beforementioned gear 54 whichdrives the roller 52.

As herein shown, all four of the rollers 52, 5'5,

56 and 59 are carried by a cradle which is movable relatively to themain frame of the .ma-

chine toward or from the plate cylinder l5, and it is so constructed andarranged that it may be entirely removable from the frame as a unit withthe rollers. As shown, the cradle comprises side plates 63 and 64suitably connected by tie rods such as 65, 65. The several arbors '53,57, 58 and 60 fit into suitable bearing apertures and notches in theplates 63 and 64.

Each of the side plates 63 and 64 of the ink roller cradle engages lowerand upper guide members 66 and 61 which are secured to the main sideplates H and I2 and which permit it to slide inward and outward. Springmeans are provided by biasing the cradle for inward movement toward theplate cylinder l5 and, as shown, each of the guide members 66 carries alatch 68 which is pivoted thereto for movement about an axisperpendicular to the direction of sliding movement. Each latch carries aspring-pressed plunger 6!; provided with a knob 10, and the inner endsof the spring-pressed plungers are adapted to enter small recesses inthe corresponding side plate of the cradle when the latches are in thepositions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring-pressed plungers serve notonly to bias the cradle for inward movement but also to hold the cradlein place. Byengaging the knobs I6, It and withdrawing the plungers inopposition to the springs, the latches can be disengaged from the plates63 and 64 and can be swung respectively toward the left and toward theright so as to leave the cradle entirely free. Thereupon the entirecradle with the rollers journaled therein can be withdrawn as a completeself-contained inking unit and entirely removed from the machine.

By maintaining a spare cradle with attached parts, the machine can bekept in operation notwithstanding any necessity for replacing a rolleror making other repairs or adjustments. Furthermore, differentcradles'with attached parts can be provided for different colors of ink.The color of the printing can be quickly changed by removing one cradleand substituting another.

Under some conditions in the operation of the machine, it is desirableto retract the ink roller cradle sufficiently to disengage the roller 52from the plate cylinder l5 Without however disengaging the gears l6 and54. This is particularly necessary prior to the commencement of actualprinting, while the moistening device is being suitably adjusted andwhile the lithographic plate is being initially moistened. For effectingthis retraction there is provided a transverse shaft H provided with aknob 12 on the exterior of the machine. Carried by the shaft are twocams I3 of which one is shown in Fig. 2. When the cams are in positionsshown in Fig. 2, the ink roller cradle is permitted to be moved inwardby the springs so that the roller 52 will engage a plate on the cylinderl5. However, by turning the knob 12 in the clockwise direction the camsl3 will engage the inner edges of the plates 63 and 64 to force thecradle toward the right in opposition to the spring-pressed plungers,thus retracting the entire ink roller machanism.

The ink reservoir rollers 55 and 56 can be readily removed from thecradle without disturbing the other rollers. Referring particularly tothe roller 55 it will be observed that its arbor 51 is entered innotches in the respective plates 63 and 64 and that it is held at eachend by a spring latch 14 having'a key hole slot therein which receives agrooved portion near the end of the shaft. By manually lifting thelatches 14, the arbor 51 can he released, thus making it possible 1 forthe roller 55 to be manually removed. The roller 56 is similarly heldbut is removable downward, and repetition of the description isunnecessary.

Means is preferably provided for longitudinally reciprocating the roller59 as it is rotated. Surrounding the arbor 60 is a sleeve 15 whichcarries the roller and which also carries the beforementioned gear 6|.The arbor 60 is reduced in diameter at its left end to provide ashoulder 16, and a sleeve ll surrounds the reduced end portion of theshaft being held between the cradle side plate 63 and the shoulder 76.The extreme left end of the arbor 60 is threaded and is held in place bya thumb nut 18 which engages the cradle side plate 63. The sleeve 11 isprovided with helical grooves 79 of opposite pitch which intersect eachother and which are connected at their ends. The sleeve I carries abushing 86, and the said bushing an and the sleeve 15 have registeringopenings 8! and 82 in which is fitted a follower member 83 having teethwhich engage the helical grooves 19 in the sleeve 77. The member 83 isrotatable in the openings 8| and 82 so as to accommodate itself to thesuccessively reversed pitches of the helical grooves 19. The member 83is engaged by a spring ring 84 which surrounds the bushing 86. Thespring ring holds the member 83 in place without interfering with itsnecessary oscillation to accommodate the reversed pitches in the helicalgrooves. Thus as the roller 59 is rotated, the follower member causes itto reciprocate longitudinally. The gear 6| also reciprocates but it isof sufficient width to permit it to remain in mesh with the pinion 62.

In the operation of the machine a suitably prepared plate with an imagethereon, all is as previously described, is placed on the cylinder l5and seemed by the holding devices at l8. While the plate is being put inplace, the moistening pad and associated parts may be held elevated bythe strut 36, and the rollers 23 and 24 may be held away from thecylinder i5 by the cam members 46. During printing the cylinder I5 isrotated in the clockwise direction and the plate thereon is continuouslymoistened by the rollers 23 and 24. The moisture content of the saidrollers in maintained by moisture supplied from the pad 25 and themoisture content of the rollers 23 and 24 can be varied by changing thepressure between the pad and the rollers by means of the adjusting screw38, and it can further be varied by utilizing the cam 39 to periodicallylift the pad out of engagement with the rollers for suitable timeintervals. The moisture content of the rollers can be still furthervaried by adjusting the screws 29, 29 to change the rates of flowthrough the ducts 28, 28. It will be observed that the moisture can bevaried so as to be different at different positions extendingtransversely of the plate. For instance, if only a narrow plate is beingused it may be desirable to entirely out off the flow of moisturethrough one of the ducts 28.

During printing, ink is applied to the plate on the cylinder 15 by theink applying roller 52 which receives ink from the ink reservoir rollers55, 56 and 59. These latter rollers are porous and are adapted tocontain substantial quantities of ink, and the ink in therollers canbereplenished from time to time by adding it directly to the roller 59 andallowing it to permeate through all three of the reservoir rollers. Theink can be added manually or by means of a suitable ink supply device(not shown). The

reservoir rollers have suflicient capacity to enable the machine tooperate for a considerable length of time without the necessity forreplenishing the ink.

While a plate is being put in place on the cylinder l5 or during initialmoistening of the plate or when it is desired to discontinue printingwithout stopping the entire machine, the entire inking device may beretracted toward the right by means of the knob 12 and the earns 13,this retraction disengaging the ink applying roller 52 without bringingthe gears 54 and 16 out of mesh.

With the moistening device and the inking device both in operation, inkis applied to the mage on the plate but not to the other portions of theplate and the ink so applied is picked up by the offset printing blanket20 and transferred to the paper or other sheets to be printed which arefed between the offset cylinder l5 and the pressure roller 2i. Theprinted sheets are delivered to the receptacle 22.

The ink, having substantial viscosity, does not permeate the entirebodies of felt constituting the rollers 55, 56 and 59, and in factpermeates only the outer portions thereof as indicated in Fig. 9.However, any water that may be mixed with the ink is much less viscousand will permeate the felt of the rollers to a much greater extent. Thefelt thus serves as a medium for separating any water from the ink. Asalready pointed out, too much water may sometimes accumulate on thelithographic plate and this is picked up by the ink applying roller 52.The result is that an emulsion of ink and water is formed on the roller,and this emulsion, if allowed to remain on the roller, would cause poorprinting. However, the ink applying roller 52 is in contact with thefelt rollers 55 and 56 and the capillary action of the felt withdrawswater from the roller 52, thus avoiding the building up thereon of anysubstantial emulsion of ink and water. The water by reason of its lowviscosity penetrates to the interiors of the rollers 55 and 56, asindicated in Fig. 9, and does not interfere with the function of therollers 55 and 56 as ink reservoirs. In other words, the porous rollerhas a permeability to water which is greater than its permeability toink and this effects the separation.

The formation of the ink applying roller 52 of nonporous material ishighly advantageous for the reason that the roller so formed has but alimited affinity for ink and, when used with a porous roller or rollers,can carry only a surface layer of ink such as is necessary for printing.If there is any tendency for an excess quantity of ink to build up onthe applying roller such excess is pulled back into the inking or inkreservoir rollers 56 and 51 which have a greater affinity for the ink.Furthermore, the porous rollers have an even greater afiinity for waterthan for ink, and if there is any tendency for the formation of an inkand water emulsion on the ink applying roller the water is withdrawnfrom such emulsion by the porous ink reservoir rollers. By utilizing thenonporous roller for applying ink to the plate and by combiningsuchroller with the porous ink reservoir rollers, which have the functionsof holding excess ink and of separating water from ink, there isdefinite assurance that ink, unmixed with water, will be applied to theplate at the proper rate.

' Having thus disclosed the invention and described in detail a specificembodiment thereof for purposes of illustration, I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an inking roller mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the cylinder for mounting the printing plate for applyingink thereonto, a first ink reservoir roller mounted for rotationalmovement in surface contact with the ink applying roller but out ofcontact with the. cylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second inkreservoir roller mounted for rotational movement in surface contact withsaid first ink reservoir roller but out of contact with said inkapplying roller and for reciprocation axially relative thereto duringrotational movement, said ink reservoir rollers being formed of porousmaterial having a permeability to water greater than that to ink forremoving excess Water from the ink applying roller and absorbing sameinto the interior thereof while ink for transferring to the ink applyingroller locates in the outer portions thereof.

2. In a lithographic printingmachine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applying roller but out of contact with thecylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir rollermounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surfacecontact with said first ink reservoir roller, said ink resen voirrollers being formed of porous material having-a higher permeability towater than to ink.

3. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applying roller but out of contact with thecylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir rollermounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surfacecontact with said first ink reservoir roller, said ink reservoir rollersbeing formed of porous material having a higher permeability to Waterthan to ink, and means for adjusting said rollers as a unit in thedirection toward and away from the cylinder for mounting the printingplate to bring the ink applying roller into and out of surface contactwith said cylinder when in positions of use and non-use respectively.

4. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applying roller but out of contact with thecylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir rollermounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surfacecontact with said first ink reservoir roller, said ink reservoir rollersbeing formed of porous material having a higher permeability to waterthan to ink, means mounting said roller onto a carriage adjustable tobring the ink applying roller into and out of contact with the cylinderfor mounting the printing plate, and spring means constantly urging saidfirst means in the direction to position said ink applying roller insurface contact with the cylinder for mounting the printing plate.

5. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applying roller but out of contact with thecylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir rollermounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surfacecontact with said first ink reservoir roller, said ink reservoir rollersbeing formed of porous material having a higher permeability to Waterthan to ink, and gear means interconnecting said cylinder for mountingthe printing plate with said ink applying roller and second inkreservoir roller for effecting conjoint rotational movement.

6. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applyin ink thereonto, a first group of ink reservoirrollers each mounted for rotational movement in surface contact with theink applying roller but out of contact with the cylinder for mountingthe printing plate, 'a second ink reservoir roller mounted for conjointrotational and reciprocal axial movement in surface contact with saidfirst ink reservoir roller, a carriage block mounting said rollers andadjustable to position said ink applying roller into and out of contactwith the surface of the cylinder for mounting the printing plate, andgear means interconnecting the cylinder, the ink applying roller and thesecond ink reservoir roller to establish a driving relationtherebetween.

7. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of nonporous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applyin roller but out of contact with the cylinderfor mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir roller mountedfor conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surface contactwith said first ink reservoir roller, a cradle in which said rollers arejournalled, said cradle being adjustable in the direction toward andaway from the cylinder for mounting the printing plate to position saidink applying roller into contact with the surface of said cylinder whenin position of use, gear means interconnecting the cylinder, the inkapplying roller and the second ink reservoir roller to establish adriving relation therebetween, and manually operating means for shiftingsaid cradle in the direction away from the cylinder for mounting theprinting plate by an amount calculated to take the ink applying rollerout of contact with the surface of the cylinder but not so much as todisengage the gear means interconnectin the ink applying roller with thecylinder.

8. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted forrotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of inkreservoir rollers each mounted for rotational movement in surfacecontact with the ink applying roller but out of contact with thecylinder for mounting the printing plate, a second ink reservoir rollermounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement in surfacecontact with said first ink reservoir roller, said ink reservoir rollersbeing formed of porous material having a higher permeability to waterthan to ink, the ink reservoir rollers being adapted to carry a supplyof ink for transfer to the ink applyin rollers while absorbing excesswater into the interior thereof from the surface of the ink applyingroller to prevent ink emulsification.

9. In a lithographic printing machine having a rotating cylinder formounting a lithographic printing plate on the peripheral surfacethereof, an ink applying roller of non-porous material mounted for.rotational movement in surface contact with the cylinder for mountingsaid plate and for applying ink thereonto, a first group of reservoirroller mounted for conjoint rotational and reciprocal axial movement insurface contact with said first ink reservoir roller, a cradle in whichsaid rollers are journalled, said cradle 12 being adjustable in thedirection toward and away from the cylinder for mounting the printingplate to position said ink applyin roller into contact with the surfaceof said cylinder when in position of use, gear means interconnecting thecylinder, ink applying roller and the second ink reservoir roller toestablish a driving relation therebetween, manually operating means forshifting said craxile in the direction away from the cylinder formounting the printing plate by an amount calculated to take the inkapplying roller out of contact with the surface of the cylinder but notso much as to disengage the gear means interconnecting the ink applyingroller with the cylinder, and spring pressed latching means for securingsaid first ink reservoir rollers in position of use and for urging saidrollers when in position of use into surface contact with each of saidapplying and said ink reservoir rollers respectively.

ELLIS BASSIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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